This paper, using the dataset of BBFs （bursty bulk flows） observed by two Cluster satellites C1 and C4, studies the difference between onset times of BBFs observed by C1 and C4. It is found that the onset time diffe...This paper, using the dataset of BBFs （bursty bulk flows） observed by two Cluster satellites C1 and C4, studies the difference between onset times of BBFs observed by C1 and C4. It is found that the onset time differences of most of BBFs observed by Cl and C4 are smaller than 60 s. The average onset time difference of BBFs of CI and C4 is 68.5 s. The probabilities of onset time difference of BBFs of C1 and C4 larger than 30, 60, 90 and 120 s are respectively 55%, 35%, 27% and 23%. The largest onset time difference of BBFs of C1 and C4 decreases with the increase of earthward component of maximum velocities of BBFs. The onset time difference of BBFs of C1 and C4 results from the velocity inhomogeneity inside the flow channel of BBF, which may be produced in propagation path and/or in source region of BBFs. Such a wide range of onset time difference of BBFs suggests that the velocity inhomogeneity inside the flow channel of BBF is various. These results are very important to the current study of substorm research based on THEMIS data because they indicate that it is impossible to determine the onset time of BBF with a single satellite.展开更多
This paper,using the data of three Cluster satellites,compares the observations of Bursty Bulk Flow (BBF) by single satellite with those by multi satellites.The results indicate that there exists remarkable difference...This paper,using the data of three Cluster satellites,compares the observations of Bursty Bulk Flow (BBF) by single satellite with those by multi satellites.The results indicate that there exists remarkable difference between observations of BBF by single satellite and multi satellites.The observations of BBF by a single satellite depend on its position relative to the flow channel.The difference is caused by the localization characteristics of fast flows in the plasma sheet,and can lead to diverging views about substorm and causal relations among substorm phenomena.展开更多
The ion-to-electron temperature ratio is a good indicator of the processes involved in solar wind plasma entering and being transported inside Earth’s plasma sheet.In this study,we have demonstrated that patchy magne...The ion-to-electron temperature ratio is a good indicator of the processes involved in solar wind plasma entering and being transported inside Earth’s plasma sheet.In this study,we have demonstrated that patchy magnetic reconnection has the potential to preserve the ion-to-electron temperature ratio under certain conditions.If the charged particles are non-adiabatically accelerated no more than once in a single reconnection,the temperature ratio would be preserved;on the other hand,this ratio would not be preserved if they are accelerated multiple times.Consequently,under a northward interplanetary magnetic field(IMF)condition,the reconnection in the nonlinear phase of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is the dominant process for solar-originated plasma entering the Earth’s magnetosphere,and the ion-to-electron temperature ratio is preserved inside the plasma sheet.When the direction of the IMF is southward,the reflection of electrons from the magnetic mirror point,and subsequent multiple non-adiabatic accelerations at the reconnection site,are the primary reasons for the observed low ion-to-electron temperature ratio close to the Earth at midnight.While reconnections that occur in the night-side far tail might preserve the ratio,turbulence on the boundaries of the bursty bulk flows(BBFs)could change the ratio in the far tail through the violation of the frozen-in condition of the ions.The plateau in the contour of the calculated ion-to-electron temperature ratio in the down tail distance between 40 and 60 Earth radii may explain the strong correlation between the ion and electron temperatures in the outer central plasma sheet,which has not been clearly understood till date.展开更多
From June 1, 2004 to October 31, 2006, a total 465 high-speed flow events are observed by the TC-1 satellite in the near-Earth region (?13 RE < x < ?9 RE, |Y |<10 RE, |Z|<5 RE). Based on the angle between ...From June 1, 2004 to October 31, 2006, a total 465 high-speed flow events are observed by the TC-1 satellite in the near-Earth region (?13 RE < x < ?9 RE, |Y |<10 RE, |Z|<5 RE). Based on the angle between the flow and the magnetic field, the high-speed flow events are further divided into two types, that is, field-aligned high-speed flow (FAHF) in the plasma sheet boundary and convective bursty bulk flow (BBF) in the center plasma sheet. Among the total 465 high-speed flow events, there are 371 FAHFs, and 94 BBFs. The CHF are mainly concentrated in the plasma sheet, the intersection angle between the flow and the magnetic field is larger, the magnetic field intensity is relatively weak. The FHF are mainly distributed near the boundary layer of the plasma sheet, the intersection angle between the flow and magnetic field is smaller, and the magnetic field intensity is relatively strong. The convective BBFs have an important effect on the substorm.展开更多
Using in situ observations from THEMIS A, D and E during the 2008–2011 tail season, we present a statistical study of the evolution of pressure gradients in the near-Earth tail during bursty bulk flow(BBF) convection...Using in situ observations from THEMIS A, D and E during the 2008–2011 tail season, we present a statistical study of the evolution of pressure gradients in the near-Earth tail during bursty bulk flow(BBF) convection.We identified 138 substorm BBFs and 2,197 non-substorm BBFs for this study. We found that both the pressure and the BZcomponent of the magnetic field were enhanced at the arrival of BBFs at the spacecraft locations. We suggest that the increase of BZduring non-substorm BBFs is associated with flux pile-up. However, the much stronger enhancement of BZduring substorm BBFs implies the occurrence of magnetic field dipolarization which is caused by both the flux pile-up process and near-Earth current disruption. Furthermore, a bow-wave-like high pressure appears to be formed at the arrival of substorm BBFs,which is responsible for the formation of region-1-sense FACs. The azimuthal pressure gradient associated with the arrival of substorm BBFs lasts for about 5 min. The enhanced pressure gradient associated with the bow waveis caused by the braking and diversion of the Earthward flow in the inner plasma sheet. The results from this statistical study suggest that the braking and azimuthal diversion of BBFs may commonly create azimuthal pressure gradients, which are related to the formation of the FAC of the substorm current wedge.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40931054 and 41174141)National Basic Research Program of China ("973" Program) (Grant No. 2011CB811404)
文摘This paper, using the dataset of BBFs （bursty bulk flows） observed by two Cluster satellites C1 and C4, studies the difference between onset times of BBFs observed by C1 and C4. It is found that the onset time differences of most of BBFs observed by Cl and C4 are smaller than 60 s. The average onset time difference of BBFs of CI and C4 is 68.5 s. The probabilities of onset time difference of BBFs of C1 and C4 larger than 30, 60, 90 and 120 s are respectively 55%, 35%, 27% and 23%. The largest onset time difference of BBFs of C1 and C4 decreases with the increase of earthward component of maximum velocities of BBFs. The onset time difference of BBFs of C1 and C4 results from the velocity inhomogeneity inside the flow channel of BBF, which may be produced in propagation path and/or in source region of BBFs. Such a wide range of onset time difference of BBFs suggests that the velocity inhomogeneity inside the flow channel of BBF is various. These results are very important to the current study of substorm research based on THEMIS data because they indicate that it is impossible to determine the onset time of BBF with a single satellite.
文摘This paper,using the data of three Cluster satellites,compares the observations of Bursty Bulk Flow (BBF) by single satellite with those by multi satellites.The results indicate that there exists remarkable difference between observations of BBF by single satellite and multi satellites.The observations of BBF by a single satellite depend on its position relative to the flow channel.The difference is caused by the localization characteristics of fast flows in the plasma sheet,and can lead to diverging views about substorm and causal relations among substorm phenomena.
文摘The ion-to-electron temperature ratio is a good indicator of the processes involved in solar wind plasma entering and being transported inside Earth’s plasma sheet.In this study,we have demonstrated that patchy magnetic reconnection has the potential to preserve the ion-to-electron temperature ratio under certain conditions.If the charged particles are non-adiabatically accelerated no more than once in a single reconnection,the temperature ratio would be preserved;on the other hand,this ratio would not be preserved if they are accelerated multiple times.Consequently,under a northward interplanetary magnetic field(IMF)condition,the reconnection in the nonlinear phase of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is the dominant process for solar-originated plasma entering the Earth’s magnetosphere,and the ion-to-electron temperature ratio is preserved inside the plasma sheet.When the direction of the IMF is southward,the reflection of electrons from the magnetic mirror point,and subsequent multiple non-adiabatic accelerations at the reconnection site,are the primary reasons for the observed low ion-to-electron temperature ratio close to the Earth at midnight.While reconnections that occur in the night-side far tail might preserve the ratio,turbulence on the boundaries of the bursty bulk flows(BBFs)could change the ratio in the far tail through the violation of the frozen-in condition of the ions.The plateau in the contour of the calculated ion-to-electron temperature ratio in the down tail distance between 40 and 60 Earth radii may explain the strong correlation between the ion and electron temperatures in the outer central plasma sheet,which has not been clearly understood till date.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40704031, 40620130094 and 40536030)
文摘From June 1, 2004 to October 31, 2006, a total 465 high-speed flow events are observed by the TC-1 satellite in the near-Earth region (?13 RE < x < ?9 RE, |Y |<10 RE, |Z|<5 RE). Based on the angle between the flow and the magnetic field, the high-speed flow events are further divided into two types, that is, field-aligned high-speed flow (FAHF) in the plasma sheet boundary and convective bursty bulk flow (BBF) in the center plasma sheet. Among the total 465 high-speed flow events, there are 371 FAHFs, and 94 BBFs. The CHF are mainly concentrated in the plasma sheet, the intersection angle between the flow and the magnetic field is larger, the magnetic field intensity is relatively weak. The FHF are mainly distributed near the boundary layer of the plasma sheet, the intersection angle between the flow and magnetic field is smaller, and the magnetic field intensity is relatively strong. The convective BBFs have an important effect on the substorm.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2014CB845903,2012CB825604)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41211120176,41274167,41031065,41374166,41330104,41374171)+2 种基金the National R&D Projectsfor Key Scientific Instruments(ZDYZ2012-1-01)UK Science and Technology Facilities Council grant(ST/L005638/1)at UCL/MSSLChina Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2014M550826)
文摘Using in situ observations from THEMIS A, D and E during the 2008–2011 tail season, we present a statistical study of the evolution of pressure gradients in the near-Earth tail during bursty bulk flow(BBF) convection.We identified 138 substorm BBFs and 2,197 non-substorm BBFs for this study. We found that both the pressure and the BZcomponent of the magnetic field were enhanced at the arrival of BBFs at the spacecraft locations. We suggest that the increase of BZduring non-substorm BBFs is associated with flux pile-up. However, the much stronger enhancement of BZduring substorm BBFs implies the occurrence of magnetic field dipolarization which is caused by both the flux pile-up process and near-Earth current disruption. Furthermore, a bow-wave-like high pressure appears to be formed at the arrival of substorm BBFs,which is responsible for the formation of region-1-sense FACs. The azimuthal pressure gradient associated with the arrival of substorm BBFs lasts for about 5 min. The enhanced pressure gradient associated with the bow waveis caused by the braking and diversion of the Earthward flow in the inner plasma sheet. The results from this statistical study suggest that the braking and azimuthal diversion of BBFs may commonly create azimuthal pressure gradients, which are related to the formation of the FAC of the substorm current wedge.
